Posts by Russell Brown
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I can't work out why I watch Grey's Anatomy. It is, objectively, utter tosh.
I have that feeling every time I happen to catch it when the other adult in the house is watching. Just why?
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Still odd, though.
But really interesting when you look at the context. I knew abut (and remembered) New Zealand Day, but I didn't remember what Mat Rata said about it.
We've deluded ourselves into thinking the day at Waitangi has always been thus, but it's not actually true. I thought Clark's decision to accept the hospitality of Ngai Tahu in 2000 was quite a good one. The "ritual dance" isn't compulsory.
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No perhaps about it, you are being "uncharitable" and need a little time out on the same naughty step as Roughan.
You'll have to explain why. I'm sincere about feeling disconnected from the argy-bargy up north, and that episode only made me feel more so.
Oh, FFS... seriously, what the hell were they supposed to do? Have Key behind a wall of black suits, as he's hustled from locked down photo op to a venue where you only get within a mile of the great man if you've lined up for three hours to get through a security barrier?
I think so too. They were damned whatever they did there.
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I was working on getting Radiation down to the very bottom of the opening page of Public Address, but seeing as the blog at the bottom is ARD Fairburn from 2006, it’s not working out very well.
Oh, it's worse than that. He died in 1957 .
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Hey Russell, have you stopped putting episodes up on youtube, or is it just a holiday delay?
Apparently there are technical issues: TVNZ haven't been able to upload to YouTube and don't seem to have had a fix from Google/YouTube. yet.
TVNZ's strategic relationship with Google doesn't seem to help a lot. The reverse, by the look of it.
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Was there another discussion I missed?
No, there wasn't. I think at one point I reminded people to respect the fact that Mark had come on to put his case, but I don't think it got unpleasant at all.
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BillRalston69 (No Fixed Abode)
Oooh, WH, that was ... spooky.
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Like this beauty, which I nearly commented in & then decided wasn't worth it.
Ugh. A pointless, confused post on The Standard begets an adolescent-grade rejoinder from DPF (who is, metaphorically speaking, writing in short pants much of the time lately) which in turn produces ... that thread.
Isn't there a better use for electrons than that?
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But if your first encounter was from the outside, seeing them as the advocates of this bizarre legal regime, and you knew what their overseas counterparts were up to, and their attitude was basically "why do you hate artists, you baby-eater?" you might feel a bit disdainful too.
Sure. And if I was defending Don in an argument, I'd be more laudatory, if anything. He's a hero.
But what I said was, I was frustrated at both sides' unwillingness to acknowledge goodwill in the other. Don suggested that was "a bit too 'fair and balanced'" and then went on to declare his "complete disdain" for the other side and accuse APRA of malign motives they just don't hold.
You can think someone like Ant is talking crap without demonising him. His commitment to local artists is genuine.
The music guys, of course, tend to regard the internet guys as a bunch of extremist lunatics.
So, like I said, it's a little frustrating for someone with roots in both camps. I am somewhat tempted to actually get them all in a room and not let them leave until they talk to each other.
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On the other hand, I have complete disdain for APRA and their attempt to use NZ as an example for the rest of the world to follow so that Sony, Disney and co. can dominate the new airways at the expense of NZ individuals and businesses.
"Complete" disdain, Don? I think you just proved my point.
APRA is in so many respects an admirable organisation. The rights cheques it sends out make a real difference to local artists, and the payments represent nearly 90% of the rights revenue it collects.
APRA has also distinguished itself with its realistic approach to licensing for internet radio (and even podcasts), especially in comparison to the RIANZ agency PPL. Ask Richard Hulse at Radio NZ about it.
And not least, APRA produces an annual event that regularly attains real creative excellence. Last year's Silver Scrolls was just soulful. Over the years, it's been a real force for the idea of a national culture.
APRA has also done things for local artists like agreeing to do its sampling for rights payments from B-Net stastions during New Zealand week, so that the already-high percentage of NZ music on the stations is measured as 100% That's hardly the act of the tool of malign foreign overlords.
I clearly think APRA, and Ant, have got it wrong, although I am aware of the pressure they're under the hold the line on copyright, even when it seems a bit farcical. I made the point about public good in the post above. I don't think Ant has acquitted himself very well in this story.
But I'm also aware that when Lawrence Lessig came through town, the only senior person from the local music industry to go and hear him was Ant Healey. He was sufficiently conversant with Lessig's speeches to discuss with me afterwards where he felt Lessig's rhetoric had moved.
So yeah, I'm not sure if "complete disdain" is a very useful attitude in this case.
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